Nutrient Content of Camelina Sativa and Feeding Trials in Turkeys

Camelina sativa (L.) Crantz (camelina) is an oilseed producing plant in the family Brassicaceae (Cruciferae) originating from the Mediterranean to Central Asia [1]. Camelina meal (CM) is the by-product of camelina oil extraction and has a crude protein content similar to canola meal [2]. There is increasing interest in converting waste cooking oil and oil produced from oilseed crops, such as camelina, into biofuels in order to decrease dependence on petroleum products for fuel sources. The interest for growing oilseed crops in Utah is on the rise as well. The cold dry climate in the high elevation of central Utah limits ability for growing a wide variety of crops. This area, however, is also where the Utah commercial meat turkey production occurs. If growing camelina becomes a viable crop in central Utah, the integration of the resultant meal into local turkey diets would further increase the value of the crop. The objective of this fact sheet is to summarize our findings of using CM in turkey diets. The results obtained come from trials conducted at the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station (Turkey Research Facility) in Ephraim, Utah.